Eclectic, free and clothing optional: 9 weekend events worth checking out in Vancouver

A singer performs at Festival Afloat, a charity concert series that raises funds to support Indigenous-led legal battles. (Raven Trust)

There are plenty of quirky events to check out in Vancouver this weekend. Whether you’re looking to get dressed up or take it all off, the list of items below offer low-or-no-cost options to spend time with a variety of communities in the city.

SUPPORT A STRUGGLING RESTAURANT

After a fire broke out at Bar Susu earlier this month, the Mount Pleasant wine bar worried restoration efforts would force it to close its doors for at least a month.

Then, the owners came up with an idea to keep business going—by going back to its pop-up roots and moving into its sister restaurant down the street, Novella.

“Launching this Friday, July 7th, Bar Susu Pop Up 2.0 will be open seven days a week from 5 p.m. to late and running for the duration of the summer,” the business announced on Instagram.

Instead of serving up bites and beverages at 209 E 6th Ave., Bar Susu will now be operating at the nearby 2650 Main St.

Patrons of the pop-up can expect to order many of the wine bar’s original menu items, low-intervention wine selections and cocktails.

“And since it’s a pop-up, expect to see some fun surprises,” Bar Susu’s post reads.

The pop-up even has its own Instagram account, which you can follow for updates.

The restaurant, which recently made the list of recommended restaurants in Vancouver’s Michelin guide, set up a GoFundMe in the aftermath of the fire to support its team of 30 staff members. The campaign has raised nearly $4,000 since launching last week.

“The majority of them having been with us since day one…these team members are like family to us,” Bar Susu wrote on social media. “We’d very much like to keep them around to help us reopen later this summer and welcome you back into our room.”

PERUSE A POST-IT NOTE ART SHOW

Friday is opening night for a Post-it Note art show dubbed STICKY, which is happening at the Burnout Café.

Doors at 2032 E Hasting St. are set to open at 6 p.m., and attendees are being warned to expect lines for the duration of the evening.

“Please be patient, it will be worth it,” reads the Facebook event, which details bar service will be available.

Over 100 artists contributed six to 10 pieces each for the show, with each three-by-three inch work priced at $20.

“Our focus is on great art from local and international talent at a very accessible price,” the listing explains.

For the second-ever STICKY, organizers are adding a second day to the event.

On Saturday, from noon to 4 p.m., the walls of Burnout Café will be replenished with new Post-It Note creations, and stations will be set up to give kids an opportunity to collaborate with some of the contributing artists.

The event is free to attend, but anyone interested in taking some tiny art home will need to bring cash.

Burnout Café, 3M Canada, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Graffitiplus.io and Hypha Project are listed as supporters of the show, which artists Flavia and Jeff Chiba Stearns produced and curated.

BARE IT ALL ON YOUR BIKE

A sea of skin is set to takeover Sunset Beach on Saturday afternoon, as the World Naked Bike Ride takes off.

Body painting and performances are scheduled to start at noon, while the ride is set to begin at 2 p.m. All of the activities are free to partake in.

The dress code is “bare as you dare,” according to the Facebook event, which specifies the ride is not meant to be sexual.

“We want everyone to feel safe. Acting in a lewd manner will get you removed by police,” the post reads.

What the event is, according to organizers, is a “celebration of creativity and a protest against car culture and dirty energy.”

PARTY IN THE STREETS OF KITSILANO

The 11th annual Khatsahlano Street Party returns to West 4 Avenue on Saturday. From 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., festival goers will be able to watch performances by a local band, visit a beer garden and grab a bite from one of dozens of food trucks on site.

The party stretches 10 blocks of West 4 Avenue, between Burrard and MacDonald streets, and there will be family-friendly activities and entertainment options available.

Organizers have created a challenge called “Earn Your Stripes,” which offers prizes to people who check off as many of the 24 items listed on a bingo-like square sheet.

A $100 gift card is up for grabs for those who complete a line, while anyone who fills the full sheet has a chance at winning a $500 prize.

Challenges include taking a picture with a Khatsahlano sign, thanking a volunteer and meeting an artist at the Host Nations Pavilion.

A breakdown of the concert schedule is available online.

ENJOY THE SYMPHONY AT SUNSET BEACH

The open-air concert Symphony at Sunset is returning to the shores of downtown Vancouver on Saturday.

Organizers say the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra’s open-air concert drew a crowd of nearly 15,000 to Sunset Beach Park last year, and are hoping for similar success in 2023.

In a statement Wednesday, the Vancouver Park Board said concert-goers can expect to be humming along to music from Jurassic Park, Star Wars, The William Tell Overture, and Max Richter's The Four Seasons Recomposed.

“We are thrilled to return to Sunset Beach for an evening of beautiful music with Vancouver’s world-class orchestra,” said VSO Music Director Otto Tausk in the release. “I am excited to join the people of Vancouver as we celebrate the joy of creating live music amongst the fantastic scenery of the city.”

The prelude performance will begin at 6:30 p.m. and the concert will conclude with a sunset performance.

While it’s free to attend, space will be available on a first-come-first-serve basis.

“A friendly reminder to bring low chairs so as not to obstruct the view of other audience members,” wrote the park board.

The Sunset Beach concession stand will be open during the event, and several food trucks will also be parked throughout the grounds.

Check out vanouver.ca/symphonyatsunset for more information.

RUN FOR UKRAINE

Put the run in fundraiser on Saturday while supporting the fight to defend Ukraine. A Vancouver version of the global #RunForUkraine project is taking place at 9 p.m. on July 8, with runners set to meet at parking lot 62 in Stanley Park.

“Our goal is to collectively run 6,992 kilometres and raise funds for the purchase of tactical radios for our defenders in Ukraine,” reads the Facebook event.

The distance reflects the total length of Ukraine’s state border as it was officially recognized in 1991 when the country gained its independence—6,992,982 kilometres—according to the charity run’s website.

“The idea is to run anywhere in the world, make a donation at www.runforukrain.ca and see you contributions being converted into kilometres on our website,” the event description reads.

The start and finish locations for this Saturday’s run in Vancouver have been mapped out online.

GO GREEK, AGAIN

The first two Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays of July are when the Greek Summerfest is taking pace at St. Nicholas and Dimitrios Greek Orthodox Church on the Vancouver-Burnaby border.

Doors will open at 4541 Boundary Road at 11 a.m. every day but Sunday, when the party starts one hour earlier. Closing time is listed as 10 p.m. on Thursdays and “late” for the remaining days.

It comes on the heels of Greek Days on Broadway, a one-day street festival that happens annually in Kitsilano each June.

For its 36th year, the festival promises “back stage entertainment featuring local bands and cultural performances,” according to the event website.

Of course, the celebration wouldn’t be complete without an array of Greek food, with favourites like loukoumades, souvlaki, barbeque lamb and spanakopita on the menu. Vegan options will also be available for the first time this year, according to organizers.

PADDLE TO A MUSIC FESTIVAL

A concert stage like no other will be set up at Jericho Beach on Sunday night. That’s when the fourth annual Festival Afloat is returning to Vancouver.

Raven Trust, a charity with a self-described mission to raise funds for Indigenous people’s access to justice, is hosting the event, while singer-songwriter Desiree Dawson and hip hop artist Higher Knowledge are set to perform.

The concert will take place from the deck of the Providence, a tall sailing ship anchored just off Jericho Beach.

“Spread a blanket and watch from the beach, or throw down a canoe, kayak or stand-up paddle board and float out for a magical, on-the-water concert experience,” the website reads.

Tickets range from $10 to $50, with a $150 VIP option to watch the show aboard the Providence.

Funds raised will go to the Heilsuk Nation to support its legal fight against the oil shipping company Kirby.

“In the wake of the catastrophic Nathan E. Stewart spill that spilled toxic fuels into Heiltsuk's marine harvesting areas, this Title case aims to enshrine Indigenous stewardship practices into law to toughen regulations about fossil fuel transport and protect marine ecosystems for future generations,” wrote Raven Trust.

DRESS UP FOR DISCO NIGHT

Another concert is happening later Sunday night at La Fabrique St. George in Mount Pleasant, and prizes will be handed out to the person with the best disco costume.

The four-hour event is set to start at 9 p.m. at 7 E 7 Ave., and tickets cost $12.

“It's disco ball time, bell bottom pants, tacky moustaches and hairy chests with gold medallions. Be creative and let's boogie,” the winery wrote online.

DJ Bryan Sea will be in charge of tunes and, on top of costume prizes, organizers say there will be wine and beer specials and plenty of glitter.